Japan name squad to begin Rugby World Cup countdown / Photo: © AFP
-
US judge orders Saudi engineer held in OpenAI case
-
Japan successfully launches probe in historic Mars moon mission
-
Maddison sparkles as Spurs end Premier League winless run
-
US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa
-
Maddison sparkles on Spurs return as win drought ends
-
Australian lawmaker hurt in car attack underwent surgery overnight: PM
-
Trump says ready to meet with Putin and Xi in China
-
Japan launches rocket for potential world first Mars moon mission
-
The young lawmaker making Brazil's Lula 'king of the selfie'
-
Ethiopia PM warns Eritrea of 'severe consequences' if supports enemies
-
Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN after 43 years
-
Boland grabs opportunity for Australia as South Africa struggle in second Test
-
Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension after walking out on Portugal
-
Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension: Portuguese federation
-
Netanyahu basks in Trump endorsement week before election
-
France announces curfews as government grapples with unrest
-
Saudi airport closure disrupts life in kingdom's capital
-
Boland sets pace as South Africa struggle
-
Ramaphosa tells South Africa to prepare for loss of US-Africa trade deal
-
Ukraine on back foot as Kremlin moots US, China meeting
-
France presses resale platforms to remove 'stolen' goods after unrest
-
'Stay home!': Tourists find themselves in a France convulsed by protests
-
Yamal v PSG: Ballon d'Or backdrop to Champions League showdown
-
Kenyan cult leader guilty on all charges over 191 starvation deaths
-
Araujo says too soon to talk about permanent Liverpool move
-
Eagles star Hurts to miss rest of NFL season: reports
-
US wants to be 'strong partner' for central Asia: Rubio
-
Oil-rich Alberta votes on Canada breakup
-
'Special' to face friend Perez in Champions League, says Liverpool's Iraola
-
Israel announces arrests after West Bank settler attacks on Westerners
-
Monitor says Indonesia fires have burned nearly two million hectares
-
Guehi insists players have 'trust and belief' in Man City after charges
-
French PM says could declare state of emergency over unrest 'if needed'
-
UN climate panel head wants swift end to deadlock over key scientific report
-
Albanian PM warns of 'red line' after days of unrest
-
PM calls for curfews in France as govt grapples with unrest
-
Putin, Xi and Trump could meet at APEC summit: Kremlin
-
Man City's Semenyo out for up to eight weeks
-
Microsoft exits data centre deal in blow to UK AI ambitions
-
Australian lawmaker critically hurt in 'violent' vehicle attack
-
European stocks retreat as France violence spreads
-
England women's coach Wiegman signs two-year contract extension
-
North Korea warns 'grave situation' prevailing along border
-
Louvre blocked as France grapples with unrest
-
Raya proud of Arsenal's 'incredible' reaction after third straight win
-
Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff shot at in Mumbai, three suspects held: police
-
Indonesia fires have burned nearly two million hectares: monitor
-
UN biodiversity summit opens with nature goals off track
-
Australian lawmaker 'critically' hurt in attack, officials say
-
'Physical hell': Hong Kong hosts gruelling underwater hockey tournament
Japan name squad to begin Rugby World Cup countdown
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph on Wednesday named a 36-man squad for upcoming Test matches as he looks to "reforge a strong connection" months before the Rugby World Cup.
Japan are aiming for at least the quarter-finals in France, having stunned Ireland and Scotland on their way to the last eight on home soil four years ago.
Joseph picked nine uncapped players alongside World Cup veterans such as winger Kotaro Matsushima and flankers Michael Leitch and Kazuki Himeno.
He also named a wider training squad of 10 players that includes 2019 World Cup captain Pieter Labuschagne.
Joseph will put his players through their paces at two training camps before games against a New Zealand XV and home Test matches against Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
They will then face Italy away before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Chile in Toulouse on September 10.
The New Zealand-born Joseph said he would try "to bring the group up to Test-match standard".
He also said they would be "working to reforge a strong connection within the team ahead of what will be an incredibly exciting and challenging year".
"We have a lot of work to do as we prepare for our upcoming matches in Japan and then on to Italy, before we head to France for the World Cup," Joseph said in a statement.
Japan will also play England, Samoa and Argentina in Pool D at the World Cup.
F.Müller--BTB
